Read Time: 04 minutes

Synopsis

The Gujarat High Court today dismissed the regular bail application filed by Teesta Setalvad, an accused in case of fabrication of evidence related to the 2002 riots that took place in Godhra.

The single judge bench of Justice Nirzar S. Desai further ordered Setalvad to surrender immediately as she was on interim bail as allowed by the Supreme Court in September 2022.

Moreover, Justice Desai rejected the request made by Setalvad's counsel to stay the operation of the present order for a period of 30 days. 

Setalvad, a co-petitioner in the plea challenging the clean chit given to then CM Narendra Modi in the 2002 Gujarat riots case, was detained by Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad in Mumbai on June 25, 2022.

She was taken into custody based on a complaint by police inspector DB Barad. The complaint was filed against Sreekumar, Sanjiv Bhatt and Setalvad leveling allegations of forgery, criminal conspiracy and other offences under the Indian Penal Code.

An ATS team reached Setalvad’s Mumbai residence in the afternoon of the next day when the plea challenging the clean chit given to Modi was rejected by the top court and thereupon took her to Santacruz police station. 

Her bail plea was rejected by an Ahmedabad court on July 30. Thereafter, in July 2022 she moved the high court and sought interim bail, however, the plea was rejected. Subsequently, she moved the top court which allowed her the interim relief on September 2, 2022. 

Setalvad is accused of fabricating evidence in order to embroil "innocent persons" in false cases concerning the 2002 riots. She and others have been booked under IPC Sections 468 (forgery) and 194 (giving or fabricating false evidence with intent to procure conviction for capital offence) among other offences.

Case Title: Teeta Atul Setalvad v. State of Gujarat